Facebook updates integrity system to detect fake likes

Facebook has announced that it has updated a component of its social network to help detect and delete fake activity. The update made is to Facebook’s integrity system, and it will now automatically detect and remove fake likes to the benefit of brands and users on the social network. The integrity system is designed to root out fake likes including those purchased or made via other nefarious methods.

Other than purchasing likes, they can also be applied illegitimately via malware, hacked accounts, or by deceiving users. Facebook says one of its big goals is to ensure that likes are made by real people interested in hearing from a specific page or engaging with content on that page. Facebook says that the move will also enable more accurate demographics for brands and allow brands to produce relevant and engaging content more easily.

According to Facebook, the average number of likes removed on any given page by the integrity system is under 1%. That means that a small number of likes seen on most Facebook pages are fake. The social network also notes that it is always had integrity protection in place.

However, the protections of that have always been in place have now been improved and specifically tasked with ferreting out fake like actions. Facebook estimates peg the number of suspicious accounts at 8.7% of all worldwide monthly activity. That would mean roughly 83,000,000 fake accounts with 4.8% of those being duplicate accounts and 3.5% being fake.